Former Bloomfield woman killed in Kansas shooting

Sheila Kriesel was the youngest of eight children of the late Floyd "Dutch" and Dolores Rayburn.

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By Julie Sherwood

MPNnow

By Julie Sherwood

Posted Oct. 4, 2013 at 4:24 PM

By Julie Sherwood

Posted Oct. 4, 2013 at 4:24 PM

Sheila Kriesel, a 1979 Bloomfield Central School graduate, was killed Wednesday in a shooting in Kansas. A hunt continues for the suspect, 35-year-old Kevin Welsh, who has been on the run since late Wednesday when police say he shot three people in the Greenwood County town of Eureka, according to KWCH 12 Eyewitness News.

Ms. Kriesel was the youngest of eight children of the late Floyd "Dutch" and Dolores Rayburn. Ms. Kriesel's sister, Mary Green of Hopewell, said she and other family members are coming together in Kansas to help each other through the tragedy.

Also killed in the shooting was Sheila's husband, 54-year-old Keith Kriesel. The other victim, 26-year-old Catherine Scheff, is Ms. Kriesel's daughter. Scheff remains in the hospital in stable condition, according to the Eureka Herald.

Green, former Hopewell town supervisor and a retired state trooper, said it was a blessing that her sister and the entire family came home to the Bloomfield area in March and then again for their mother's funeral this summer to spend quality time together.

According to the Eureka Herald, Scheff was shot several times and also suffered injuries from a car crash. Friends told KWCH that Scheff and Welsh have children together. Eyewitness News also reported that Welsh was out of jail on bond when the shooting happened. He was awaiting trial on kidnapping and assault charges.

The shooting happened Wednesday night in the 1500 block of 130th near Eureka. The Greenwood County Sheriff's Department says deputies were dispatched to a possible burglary call around 7:24 Wednesday evening. While they were on the way, investigators say a victim called 911 to say shots were fired and multiple people were hurt.

When deputies arrived, they found the Kriesels dead of apparent gunshot wounds. Deputies found also found Scheff shot and she was flown to a Wichita hospital in critical condition.

Page 2 of 2 - Investigators believed Welsh took off in a Ford Explorer. Investigators found the vehicle abandoned Thursday morning. They continue to search the area for him. Thursday afternoon investigators served a search warrant at a home where Welsh lived in Toronto. He wasn't in the home and it's unclear if investigators found anything to help with the investigation.

Welsh is considered armed and very dangerous. If you have information on his whereabouts, you're asked to call the Greenwood County Sheriff's Office at (620) 583-5568 or 911.

Green said Friday she was contacted by the police questioning if Welsh has ties to the Ontario County area. As far as she knows, he does not, she said.

Multiple agencies are assisting with the investigation including Kansas Highway Patrol, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

Green said after her sister graduated from Bloomfield Central School Class in 1979, she enlisted in the Air Force. Green said believes her sister did two tours of military service.